The Sequence Listing submitted 12 Oct. 2021 as a text file named “20_940_WO_Sequence_Listing”, created on 12 Oct. 2021 and having a size of 581 kilobytes is hereby incorporated by reference pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.52(e)(5).
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is sixth leading cause of death in the US and the most common cause of dementia in aging. With a rapidly growing aging population the number of AD cases is growing fast and projected to rise drastically over the next three decades. Today, more than 5 million people are living with AD in the United States alone, and by 2050, this number is projected to reach 14 million. Therefore, AD poses a huge economic burden on society placing overwhelming strain on the healthcare system. In 2020, the cost of AD to the US was $301 billion, including $206 billion in Medicare and Medicaid payments, while the caregivers provided $244 billions worth of care (Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Impact Movement: Factsheet 2020). These trends will only worsen with time because there are no therapies to halt or prevent AD (i.e., projected to cost more than $1.1 trillion annually by 2050). Despite all the research effort, money and commitment, clinical trials to identify disease modifying therapies (DMT) for AD have repeatedly failed. To date, there is no cure and no DMT for AD and there are no methods to delay the onset and/or progression of the disease. Most available treatments are palliative and aimed at relieving symptom (Sharma K. (2019) Mol Med Rep. 20:1479-1487; Olivares D, et al. (2012) Curr Alzheimer Res. 9:746-758).
Late onset AD (LOAD) is a heterogenous disease with various genetic etiologies (Lo M T, et al. (2019). Neurobiol Aging. 84:243 e1-243.e9; Nacmias B, et al. (2018) J Alzheimers Dis. 62:903-911). A major reason for the failure to identify an effective treatment is likely the inaccurate consideration of LOAD as a homogeneous disease. In this respect, increasing evidence demonstrate the heterogeneity in the underlying pathophysiologic processes of LOAD and show variability in the genetic risk and molecular profiles amongst AD patients (Reitz C. (2016) Ann Transl Med. 4:107; Chiba-Falek O, et al. (2017) Expert Rev Precis Med Drug Dev. 2:47-55). Thus, AD remains an unmet medical need underscoring the urgent need for a paradigm shift in AD clinical research.
Accordingly, any advancement in LOAD therapy will require the development and validation of new therapeutic targets including those tailored to sub-groups of patients with specific risk factors. Thus, to date many investigators and funding bodies recognize the need to shift the focus to new potential culprits including candidate gene-targets such as LOAD risk genes and rare mutations (Guerreiro R, et al. (2013) Neurobiol Aging. 34:2890 e1-5). Consistently, recently, alternative targets such as APOE have emerged as potential promising targets for LOAD treatment (Huynh T V, et al. (2017) Neuron. 96:1013-1023 e4; Brody D L, et al. (2008) Annu Rev Neurosci 31:175-193; Kim J, et al. (2012) J Exp Med. 209:2149-2156).
Accordingly, there is a need for a disease modifying therapy for Alzheimer's disease, particularly LOAD.
Disclosed herein is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA. Disclosed herein is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule. Disclosed herein is a viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA. Disclosed herein is a viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a lentiviral vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA. Disclosed herein is a lentiviral vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising a disclosed vector and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising a disclosed lentiviral vector and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising a lentiviral vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA. Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising a lentiviral vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:21-24, SEQ ID NO:29-36, SEQ ID NO:43-50, SEQ ID NO:53-56, SEQ ID NO:59-61. Disclosed herein is a guide RNA comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14. Disclosed herein is a guide RNA comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28. Disclosed herein is a guide RNA comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42. Disclosed herein is a guide RNA comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52. Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:21-SEQ ID NO:24.
Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:29-SEQ ID NO:36. Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:43-SEQ ID NO:50. Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:53-SEQ ID NO:56. Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:59-SEQ ID NO:61.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA, wherein the fusion protein comprises a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and reducing expression of APOE in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA, wherein the fusion protein comprises a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA, wherein the fusion protein comprises a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE, thereby reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE, thereby reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele, thereby reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele, thereby reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a method of reducing expression of APOE, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, thereby reducing expression of APOE.
Disclosed herein is a method of reducing expression of APOE, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, thereby reducing expression of APOE.
Disclosed herein is a method of reducing expression of APOE e4, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, thereby reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a method of reducing expression of APOE e4, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, thereby reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a kit comprising one or more disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed vectors, disclosed lentiviral vectors, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed host cells, disclosed guide RNAs, disclosed plasmids, or any combination thereof with or without additional therapeutic agents to treat, prevent, inhibit, and/or ameliorate one or more symptoms or complications associated AD or LOAD.
The present disclosure describes formulations, compounded compositions, kits, capsules, containers, and/or methods thereof. It is to be understood that the inventive aspects of which are not limited to specific synthetic methods unless otherwise specified, or to particular reagents unless otherwise specified, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, example methods and materials are now described.
All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and/or materials in connection with which the publications are cited. The publications discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention.
Before the present compounds, compositions, articles, systems, devices, and/or methods are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that they are not limited to specific synthetic methods unless otherwise specified, or to particular reagents unless otherwise specified, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, example methods and materials are now described.
This disclosure describes inventive concepts with reference to specific examples. However, the intent is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives of the inventive concepts that are consistent with this disclosure.
As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The phrase “consisting essentially of” limits the scope of a claim to the recited components in a composition or the recited steps in a method as well as those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic or characteristics of the claimed composition or claimed method. The phrase “consisting of” excludes any component, step, or element that is not recited in the claim. The phrase “comprising” is synonymous with “including”, “containing”, or “characterized by”, and is inclusive or open-ended. “Comprising” does not exclude additional, unrecited components or steps.
As used herein, when referring to any numerical value, the term “about” means a value falling within a range that is +10% of the stated value.
Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, a further aspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms a further aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint and independently of the other endpoint. It is also understood that there are a number of values disclosed herein, and that each value is also herein disclosed as “about” that particular value in addition to the value itself. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. It is also understood that each unit between two particular units are also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.
References in the specification and concluding claims to parts by weight of a particular element or component in a composition denotes the weight relationship between the element or component and any other elements or components in the composition or article for which a part by weight is expressed. Thus, in a compound containing 2 parts by weight component X and 5 parts by weight component Y, X and Y are present at a weight ratio of 2:5, and are present in such ratio regardless of whether additional components are contained in the compound.
As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance can or cannot occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not. In an aspect, a disclosed method can optionally comprise one or more additional steps, such as, for example, repeating an administering step or altering an administering step.
As used herein, the term “subject” refers to the target of administration, e.g., a human being. The term “subject” also includes domesticated animals (e.g., cats, dogs, etc.), livestock (e.g., cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, etc.), and laboratory animals (e.g., mouse, rabbit, rat, guinea pig, fruit fly, etc.). Thus, the subject of the herein disclosed methods can be a vertebrate, such as a mammal, a fish, a bird, a reptile, or an amphibian. Alternatively, the subject of the herein disclosed methods can be a human, non-human primate, horse, pig, rabbit, dog, sheep, goat, cow, cat, guinea pig, or rodent. The term does not denote a particular age or sex, and thus, adult and child subjects, as well as fetuses, whether male or female, are intended to be covered. In an aspect, a subject can be a human patient. In an aspect, a subject can have Alzheimer's disease (e.g., LOAD), be suspected of having Alzheimer's disease, or be at risk of developing and/or acquiring Alzheimer's disease.
As used herein, the term “diagnosed” means having been subjected to an examination by a person of skill, for example, a physician, and found to have a condition that can be diagnosed or treated by one or more of the disclosed agents, disclosed therapeutic agents, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, or a combination thereof, or by one or more of the disclosed methods. For example, “diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or LOAD” means having been subjected to an examination by a person of skill, for example, a physician, and found to have a condition that can be treated by one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed viral vectors, disclosed lentiviral vectors, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed host cells, disclosed gRNAs, disclosed plasmids, or any combination thereof, or by one or more of the disclosed methods. For example, “suspected of having Alzheimer's disease” can mean having been subjected to an examination by a person of skill, for example, a physician, and found to have a condition that can likely be treated by one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed viral vectors, disclosed lentiviral vectors, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed host cells, disclosed gRNAs, disclosed plasmids, or any combination thereof, or by one or more of the disclosed methods. In an aspect, an examination can be physical, can involve various tests (e.g., blood tests, genotyping, biopsies, etc.) and assays (e.g., enzymatic assay), or a combination thereof.
A “patient” can refer to a subject that has been diagnosed with or is suspected of having Alzheimer's disease (AD) or late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). In an aspect, a patient can refer to a subject that has been diagnosed with or is suspected of having AD such as for example, LOAD, and is seeking treatment or receiving treatment for AD or LOAD.
As used herein, the phrase “identified to be in need of treatment for a disorder,” or the like, refers to selection of a subject based upon need for treatment of the disorder. For example, a subject can be identified as having a need for treatment of a disorder (e.g., such as Alzheimer's disease) based upon an earlier diagnosis by a person of skill and thereafter subjected to treatment for the disorder (e.g., AD or LOAD). In an aspect, the identification can be performed by a person different from the person making the diagnosis. In an aspect, the administration can be performed by one who performed the diagnosis.
As used herein, “inhibit,” “inhibiting”, and “inhibition” mean to diminish or decrease an activity, level, response, condition, severity, disease, or other biological parameter. This can include, but is not limited to, the complete ablation of the activity, level, response, condition, severity, disease, or other biological parameter. This can also include, for example, a 10% inhibition or reduction in the activity, level, response, condition, severity, disease, or other biological parameter as compared to the native or control level (e.g., a subject not having Alzheimer's disease). Thus, in an aspect, the inhibition or reduction can be a 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, or any amount of reduction in between as compared to native or control levels. In an aspect, the inhibition or reduction can be 10-20%, 20-30%, 30-40%, 40-50%, 50-60%, 60-70%, 70-80%, 80-90%, or 90-100% as compared to native or control levels. In an aspect, the inhibition or reduction can be 0-25%, 25-50%, 50-75%, or 75-100% as compared to native or control levels. In an aspect, a native or control level can be a pre-disease or pre-disorder level.
The words “treat” or “treating” or “treatment” include palliative treatment, that is, treatment designed for the relief of symptoms rather than the curing of the disease, pathological condition, or disorder; preventative treatment, that is, treatment directed to minimizing or partially or completely inhibiting the development of the associated disease, pathological condition, or disorder; and supportive treatment, that is, treatment employed to supplement another specific therapy directed toward the improvement of the associated disease, pathological condition, or disorder (such as Alzheimer's disease). In an aspect, the terms cover any treatment of a subject, including a mammal (e.g., a human), and includes: (i) preventing the undesired physiological change, disease, pathological condition, or disorder from occurring in a subject that can be predisposed to the disease but has not yet been diagnosed as having it; (ii) inhibiting the physiological change, disease, pathological condition, or disorder, i.e., arresting its development; or (iii) relieving the physiological change, disease, pathological condition, or disorder, i.e., causing regression of the disease. For example, in an aspect, treating Alzheimer's disease or LOAD can reduce the severity of an established disease in a subject by 1%-100% as compared to a control (such as, for example, an individual not having AD or LOAD). In an aspect, treating can refer to a 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100% reduction in the severity of AD or LOAD. For example, treating Alzheimer's disease can reduce one or more symptoms of AD or LOAD in a subject by 1%-100% as compared to a control (such as, for example, an individual not having AD or LOAD). In an aspect, treating can refer to 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100% reduction of one or more symptoms of an established AD (such as LOAD). It is understood that treatment does not necessarily refer to a cure or complete ablation or eradication of AD. However, in an aspect, treatment can refer to a cure or complete ablation or eradication of AD or LOAD.
As used herein, “SunTag” refers to a tag that allows numerous copies of GFP to be recruited to a protein of interest for bright signals. The SunTag can be used for amplification of a fluorescence signal (Tanenbaum M E, et al. (2014) Cell. 159(3):635-646).
As used herein, a “biomarker” refers to a defined characteristic that is measured as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or response to an exposure of intervention. In an aspect, a biomarker can be diagnostic (i.e., detects or classifies a pathological condition), prognostic (i.e., predicts the probability of disease occurrence or progression), pharmacodynamic/responsive (i.e., identifies a change in response to a therapeutic intervention), predictive (i.e., predicts how an individual or subject might respond to a particular intervention or event). In an aspect, a biomarker can be diagnostic, prognostic, pharmacodynamic/responsive, and/or predictive at the same time. In an aspect, a biomarker can be diagnostic, prognostic, pharmacodynamic/responsive, and/or predictive at different times (e.g., first a biomarker can be diagnostic and then later, the same biomarker can be prognostic, pharmacodynamic/responsive, and/or predictive). A biomarker can be an objective measure that can be linked to a clinical outcome assessment. A biomarker can be used by the skilled person to make a clinical decision based on its context of use.
As used herein, “operably linked” means that expression of a gene is under the control of a promoter with which it is spatially connected. A promoter can be positioned 5′ (upstream) or 3′ (downstream) of a gene under its control. The distance between the promoter and a gene can be approximately the same as the distance between that promoter and the gene it controls in the gene from which the promoter is derived. As is known in the art, variation in this distance can be accommodated without loss of promoter function.
As used herein, the term “prevent” or “preventing” or “prevention” refers to precluding, averting, obviating, forestalling, stopping, or hindering something from happening, especially by advance action. It is understood that where reduce, inhibit, or prevent are used herein, unless specifically indicated otherwise, the use of the other two words is also expressly disclosed. In an aspect, preventing Alzheimer's disease (AD) or LOAD and/or AD or LOAD progression is intended. The words “prevent” and “preventing” and “prevention” also refer to prophylactic or preventative measures for protecting or precluding a subject (e.g., an individual) not having AD or LOAD or an AD or LOAD complication from progressing to that complication. In an aspect, preventing or reducing APOE expression and/or activity is intended.
As used herein, the terms “administering” and “administration” refer to any method of providing one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof to a subject. Such methods are well known to those skilled in the art and include, but are not limited to, the following routes: oral administration, transdermal administration, administration by inhalation, nasal administration, topical administration, in utero administration, intrahepatic administration, intravaginal administration, ophthalmic administration, intraaural administration, otic administration, intracerebral administration, rectal administration, sublingual administration, buccal administration, and parenteral administration, including injectable such as intravenous administration, intra-CSF administration, intra-arterial administration, intramuscular administration, and subcutaneous administration. Administration can also include hepatic intra-arterial administration or administration through the hepatic portal vein (HPV). Administration of a disclosed therapeutic agent, a disclosed pharmaceutical composition, or a combination thereof can comprise administration directly into the CNS (e.g., intraparenchymal, intracerebroventriular, inthrathecal cisternal, intrathecal (lumbar), deep gray matter delivery, convection-enhanced delivery to deep gray matter) or the PNS. Administration can be continuous or intermittent.
In an aspect, a “therapeutic agent” can be a “biologically active agent” or “biologic active agent” or “bioactive agent”, which refers to an agent that is capable of providing a local or systemic biological, physiological, or therapeutic effect in the biological system to which it is applied. For example, the bioactive agent can act to control infection or inflammation, enhance cell growth and tissue regeneration, control tumor growth, act as an analgesic, promote anti-cell attachment, and enhance bone growth, among other functions. Other suitable bioactive agents can include anti-viral agents, vaccines, hormones, antibodies (including active antibody fragments sFv, Fv, and Fab fragments), aptamers, peptide mimetics, functional nucleic acids, therapeutic proteins, peptides, or nucleic acids. Other bioactive agents include prodrugs, which are agents that are not biologically active when administered but, upon administration to a subject are converted to bioactive agents through metabolism or some other mechanism. Additionally, any of the compositions of the invention can contain combinations of two or more bioactive agents. It is understood that a biologically active agent can be used in connection with administration to various subjects, for example, to humans (i.e., medical administration) or to animals (i.e., veterinary administration). As used herein, the recitation of a biologically active agent inherently encompasses the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
In an aspect, a “therapeutic agent” can be any agent that effects a desired clinical outcome in a subject having AD or LOAD, suspected of having AD or LOAD, and/or likely to develop or acquire AD or LOAD. In an aspect, a disclosed therapeutic agent can be an oligonucleotide therapeutic agent. A disclosed oligonucleotide therapeutic agent can comprise a single-stranded or double-stranded DNA, iRNA, shRNA, siRNA, mRNA, non-coding RNA (ncRNA), an antisense molecule, miRNA, a morpholino, a peptide-nucleic acid (PNA), or an analog or conjugate thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed oligonucleotide therapeutic agent can be an ASO or an RNAi. In an aspect, a disclosed oligonucleotide therapeutic agent can comprise one or more modifications at any position applicable.
In an aspect, a therapeutic agent can be a “drug” or a “vaccine” and means a molecule, group of molecules, complex or substance administered to an organism for diagnostic, therapeutic, preventative medical, or veterinary purposes. This term includes externally and internally administered topical, localized and systemic human and animal pharmaceuticals, treatments, remedies, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, biologicals, devices, diagnostics and contraceptives, including preparations useful in clinical and veterinary screening, prevention, prophylaxis, healing, wellness, detection, imaging, diagnosis, therapy, surgery, monitoring, cosmetics, prosthetics, forensics and the like. This term may also be used in reference to agriceutical, workplace, military, industrial and environmental therapeutics or remedies comprising selected molecules or selected nucleic acid sequences capable of recognizing cellular receptors, membrane receptors, hormone receptors, therapeutic receptors, microbes, viruses or selected targets comprising or capable of contacting plants, animals and/or humans. Examples include but are not limited to a radiosensitizer, the combination of a radiosensitizer and a chemotherapeutic, a steroid, a xanthine, a beta-2-agonist bronchodilator, an anti-inflammatory agent, an analgesic agent, a calcium antagonist, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, a beta-blocker, a centrally active alpha-agonist, an alpha-1-antagonist, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, prostaglandin analogs, a combination of an alpha agonist and a beta blocker, a combination of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and a beta blocker, an anticholinergic/antispasmodic agent, a vasopressin analogue, an antiarrhythmic agent, an antiparkinsonian agent, an antiangina/antihypertensive agent, an anticoagulant agent, an antiplatelet agent, a sedative, an ansiolytic agent, a peptidic agent, a biopolymeric agent, an antineoplastic agent, a laxative, an antidiarrheal agent, an antimicrobial agent, an antifungal agent, or a vaccine. In a further aspect, the pharmaceutically active agent can be coumarin, albumin, bromolidine, steroids such as betamethasone, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, prednisone, triamcinolone, budesonide, hydrocortisone, and pharmaceutically acceptable hydrocortisone derivatives; xanthines such as theophylline and doxophylline; beta-2-agonist bronchodilators such as salbutamol, fenterol, clenbuterol, bambuterol, salmeterol, fenoterol; antiinflammatory agents, including antiasthmatic anti-inflammatory agents, antiarthritis antiinflammatory agents, and non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents, examples of which include but are not limited to sulfides, mesalamine, budesonide, salazopyrin, diclofenac, pharmaceutically acceptable diclofenac salts, nimesulide, naproxene, acetominophen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and piroxicam; analgesic agents such as salicylates; calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine, amlodipine, and nicardipine; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors such as captopril, benazepril hydrochloride, fosinopril sodium, trandolapril, ramipril, lisinopril, enalapril, quinapril hydrochloride, and moexipril hydrochloride; beta-blockers (i.e., beta adrenergic blocking agents) such as sotalol hydrochloride, timolol maleate, timol hemihydrate, levobunolol hydrochloride, esmolol hydrochloride, carteolol, propanolol hydrochloride, betaxolol hydrochloride, penbutolol sulfate, metoprolol tartrate, metoprolol succinate, acebutolol hydrochloride, atenolol, pindolol, and bisoprolol fumarate; centrally active alpha-2-agonists (i.e., alpha adrenergic receptor agonist) such as clonidine, brimonidine tartrate, and apraclonidine hydrochloride; alpha-1-antagonists such as doxazosin and prazosin; anticholinergic/antispasmodic agents such as dicyclomine hydrochloride, scopolamine hydrobromide, glycopyrrolate, clidinium bromide, flavoxate, and oxybutynin; vasopressin analogues such as vasopressin and desmopressin; prostaglandin analogs such as latanoprost, travoprost, and bimatoprost; cholinergics (i.e., acetylcholine receptor agonists) such as pilocarpine hydrochloride and carbachol; glutamate receptor agonists such as the N-methyl D-aspartate receptor agonist memantine; anti-Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) aptamers such as pegaptanib; anti-VEGF antibodies (including but not limited to anti-VEGF-A antibodies) such as ranibizumab and bevacizumab; carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as methazolamide, brinzolamide, dorzolamide hydrochloride, and acetazolamide; antiarrhythmic agents such as quinidine, lidocaine, tocainide hydrochloride, mexiletine hydrochloride, digoxin, verapamil hydrochloride, propafenone hydrochloride, flecaimide acetate, procainamide hydrochloride, moricizine hydrochloride, and diisopyramide phosphate; antiparkinsonian agents, such as dopamine, L-Dopa/Carbidopa, selegiline, dihydroergocryptine, pergolide, lisuride, apomorphine, and bromocryptine; antiangina agents and antihypertensive agents such as isosorbide mononitrate, isosorbide dinitrate, propranolol, atenolol and verapamil; anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents such as coumadin, warfarin, acetylsalicylic acid, and ticlopidine; sedatives such as benzodiazapines and barbiturates; ansiolytic agents such as lorazepam, bromazepam, and diazepam; peptidic and biopolymeric agents such as calcitonin, leuprolide and other LHRH agonists, hirudin, cyclosporin, insulin, somatostatin, protirelin, interferon, desmopressin, somatotropin, thymopentin, pidotimod, erythropoietin, interleukins, melatonin, granulocyte/macrophage-CSF, and heparin; antineoplastic agents such as etoposide, etoposide phosphate, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, doxorubicin, cisplatin, hydroxyurea, leucovorin calcium, tamoxifen, flutamide, asparaginase, altretamine, mitotane, and procarbazine hydrochloride; laxatives such as senna concentrate, casanthranol, bisacodyl, and sodium picosulphate; antidiarrheal agents such as difenoxine hydrochloride, loperamide hydrochloride, furazolidone, diphenoxylate hydrochloride, and microorganisms; vaccines such as bacterial and viral vaccines; antimicrobial agents such as penicillins, cephalosporins, and macrolides, antifungal agents such as imidazolic and triazolic derivatives; and nucleic acids such as DNA sequences encoding for biological proteins, and antisense oligonucleotides. It is understood that a pharmaceutically active agent can be used in connection with administration to various subjects, for example, to humans (i.e., medical administration) or to animals (i.e., veterinary administration). As used herein, the recitation of a pharmaceutically active agent inherently encompasses the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
“Sequence identity” and “sequence similarity” can be determined by alignment of two peptide or two nucleotide sequences using global or local alignment algorithms. Sequences may then be referred to as “substantially identical” or “essentially similar” when they are optimally aligned. For example, sequence similarity or identity can be determined by searching against databases such as FASTA, BLAST, etc., but hits should be retrieved and aligned pairwise to compare sequence identity. Two proteins or two protein domains, or two nucleic acid sequences can have “substantial sequence identity” if the percentage sequence identity is at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 99% or more, preferably 90%, 95%, 98%, 99% or more. Such sequences are also referred to as “variants” herein, e.g., other variants of glycogen branching enzymes and amylases. It should be understood that sequence with substantial sequence identity do not necessarily have the same length and may differ in length. For example, sequences that have the same nucleotide sequence but of which one has additional nucleotides on the 3′- and/or 5′-side are 100% identical.
In an aspect, the skilled person can determine an efficacious dose, an efficacious schedule, and an efficacious route of administration for one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof so as to treat or prevent AD or LOAD. In an aspect, the skilled person can also alter, change, or modify an aspect of an administering step to improve efficacy of one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, the skilled person can determine an efficacious dose, an efficacious schedule, and an efficacious route of administration for any disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule, disclosed pharmaceutical formulation, disclosed vector, disclosed therapeutic agent, or any combination thereof.
As used herein, “modifying the method” can comprise modifying or changing one or more features or aspects of one or more steps of a disclosed method. For example, in an aspect, a method can be altered by changing the amount of one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed viral vectors, disclosed lentiviral vectors, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed host cells, disclosed gRNAs, disclosed plasmids, or any combination thereof, or administered to a subject, or by changing the frequency of administration of one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed viral vectors, disclosed lentiviral vectors, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed host cells, disclosed gRNAs, disclosed plasmids, or any combination thereof, or by changing the duration of time that the one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed viral vectors, disclosed lentiviral vectors, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed host cells, disclosed gRNAs, disclosed plasmids, or any combination thereof, or are administered to a subject.
As used herein, “concurrently” means (1) simultaneously in time, or (2) at different times during the course of a common treatment schedule.
The term “contacting” as used herein refers to bringing one or more of disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof together with a target area or intended target area in such a manner that the one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof exert an effect on the intended target or targeted area either directly or indirectly. A target area or intended target area can be one or more of a subject's organs (e.g., lungs, heart, liver, kidney, brain, etc.). In an aspect, a target area or intended target area can be any cell or any organ infected by AD or LOAD (such as cholinergic neurons). In an aspect, a target area or intended target area can be the brain or various neuronal populations.
As used herein, “determining” can refer to measuring or ascertaining the presence and severity of AD such as, for example, LOAD. Methods and techniques used to determine the presence and/or severity of AD are typically known to the medical arts. For example, the art is familiar with the ways to identify and/or diagnose the presence, severity, or both of AD (such as, for example, a LOAD. In an aspect, “determining” can also refer to measuring or ascertaining the level of one or more proteins or peptides in a biosample, or measuring or ascertaining the level or one or more RNAs or miRNAs in a biosample. Methods and techniques for determining the level of proteins/peptides and RNAs/miRNAs are known to the art and are disclosed herein.
As used herein, “effective amount” and “amount effective” can refer to an amount that is sufficient to achieve the desired result such as, for example, the treatment and/or prevention of AD or LOAD. As used herein, the terms “effective amount” and “amount effective” can refer to an amount that is sufficient to achieve the desired an effect on an undesired condition (e.g., a AD or LOAD). For example, a “therapeutically effective amount” refers to an amount that is sufficient to achieve the desired therapeutic result or to have an effect on undesired symptoms, but is generally insufficient to cause adverse side effects. In an aspect, “therapeutically effective amount” means an amount of a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule, a disclosed pharmaceutical formulation, a disclosed vector, or any combination thereof that (i) treats the particular disease, condition, or disorder (e.g., AD or LOAD), (ii) attenuates, ameliorates, or eliminates one or more symptoms of the particular disease, condition, or disorder (e.g., AD or LOAD), or (iii) delays the onset of one or more symptoms of the particular disease, condition, or disorder described herein (e.g., AD or LOAD). The specific therapeutically effective dose level for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors including the disorder being treated and the severity of the disorder; the isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof employed; the disclosed methods employed; the age, body weight, general health, sex and diet of the patient; the time of administration; the route of administration; the rate of excretion of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof employed; the duration of the treatment; drugs used in combination or coincidental with the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof employed, and other like factors well known in the medical arts. For example, it is well within the skill of the art to start doses of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof at levels lower than those required to achieve the desired therapeutic effect and to gradually increase the dosage until the desired effect is achieved. If desired, then the effective daily dose can be divided into multiple doses for purposes of administration. Consequently, a single dose of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof can contain such amounts or submultiples thereof to make up the daily dose. The dosage can be adjusted by the individual physician in the event of any contraindications. Dosage can vary, and can be administered in one or more dose administrations daily, for one or several days. Guidance can be found in the literature for appropriate dosages for given classes of pharmaceutical products. In further various aspects, a preparation can be administered in a “prophylactically effective amount”; that is, an amount effective for prevention of a disease or condition, such as, for example, AD or LOAD
As used herein, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” refers to sterile aqueous or nonaqueous solutions, dispersions, suspensions or emulsions, as well as sterile powders for reconstitution into sterile injectable solutions or dispersions just prior to use. Examples of suitable aqueous and nonaqueous carriers, diluents, solvents, or vehicles include water, ethanol, polyols (such as glycerol, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and the like), carboxymethylcellulose and suitable mixtures thereof, vegetable oils (such as olive oil) and injectable organic esters such as ethyl oleate. In an aspect, a pharmaceutical carrier employed can be a solid, liquid, or gas. In an aspect, examples of solid carriers can include lactose, terra alba, sucrose, talc, gelatin, agar, pectin, acacia, magnesium stearate, and stearic acid. In an aspect, examples of liquid carriers can include sugar syrup, peanut oil, olive oil, and water. In an aspect, examples of gaseous carriers can include carbon dioxide and nitrogen. In preparing a disclosed composition for oral dosage form, any convenient pharmaceutical media can be employed. For example, water, glycols, oils, alcohols, flavoring agents, preservatives, coloring agents and the like can be used to form oral liquid preparations such as suspensions, elixirs and solutions; while carriers such as starches, sugars, microcrystalline cellulose, diluents, granulating agents, lubricants, binders, disintegrating agents, and the like can be used to form oral solid preparations such as powders, capsules and tablets. Because of their ease of administration, tablets and capsules are the preferred oral dosage units whereby solid pharmaceutical carriers are employed. Optionally, tablets can be coated by standard aqueous or nonaqueous techniques. Proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of coating materials such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersions and by the use of surfactants. These compositions can also contain adjuvants such as preservatives, wetting agents, emulsifying agents and dispersing agents. Prevention of the action of microorganisms can be ensured by the inclusion of various antibacterial and antifungal agents such as paraben, chlorobutanol, phenol, sorbic acid and the like. It can also be desirable to include isotonic agents such as sugars, sodium chloride and the like. Prolonged absorption of the injectable pharmaceutical form can be brought about by the inclusion of agents, such as aluminum monostearate and gelatin, which delay absorption. Injectable depot forms are made by forming microencapsule matrices of the drug in biodegradable polymers such as polylactide-polyglycolide, poly(orthoesters) and poly(anhydrides). Depending upon the ratio of drug to polymer and the nature of the particular polymer employed, the rate of drug release can be controlled. Depot injectable formulations are also prepared by entrapping the drug in liposomes or microemulsions that are compatible with body tissues. The injectable formulations can be sterilized, for example, by filtration through a bacterial-retaining filter or by incorporating sterilizing agents in the form of sterile solid compositions which can be dissolved or dispersed in sterile water or other sterile injectable media just prior to use. Suitable inert carriers can include sugars such as lactose. Desirably, at least 95% by weight of the particles of the active ingredient have an effective particle size in the range of 0.01 to 10 micrometers.
As used herein, the term “excipient” refers to an inert substance which is commonly used as a diluent, vehicle, preservative, binder, or stabilizing agent, and includes, but is not limited to, proteins (e.g., serum albumin, etc.), amino acids (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, arginine, glycine, histidine, etc.), fatty acids and phospholipids (e.g., alkyl sulfonates, caprylate, etc.), surfactants (e.g., SDS, polysorbate, nonionic surfactant, etc.), saccharides (e.g., sucrose, maltose, trehalose, etc.) and polyols (e.g., mannitol, sorbitol, etc.). See, also, for reference, Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, (1990) Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
As used herein, the term “package insert” is used to refer to instructions customarily included in commercial packages of therapeutic products, that contain information about the indications, usage, dosage, administration, contraindications and/or warnings concerning the use of such therapeutic products.
As used herein, the term “in combination” in the context of the administration of one or more of the disclosed agents, disclosed therapeutic agents, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations or a combination thereof includes the use of more than one therapy (e.g., additional therapeutic agents). Administration “in combination with” one or more additional therapeutic agents includes simultaneous (e.g., concurrent) and consecutive administration in any order. The use of the term “in combination” does not restrict the order in which therapies are administered to a subject. By way of non-limiting example, a first therapy (e.g., one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof) may be administered prior to (e.g., 1 minute, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, 96 hours, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 8 weeks, 9 weeks, 10 weeks, 11 weeks, or 12 weeks), concurrently, or after (e.g., 1 minute, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, 96 hours, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 6 weeks, 7 weeks, 8 weeks, 9 weeks, 10 weeks, 11 weeks, or 12 weeks or longer) the administration of a second therapy (e.g., one or more of the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof or one or more additional therapeutic agents) to a subject having or diagnosed with AD or LOAD.
As used herein, “CRISPR or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat” is an ideal tool for correction of genetic abnormalities associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or LOAD. The system can be designed to target genomic DNA directly. A CRISPR system involves two main components: a Cas9 enzyme and a guide (gRNA). The gRNA contains a targeting sequence for DNA binding (at, for example, the APOE promoter region) and a scaffold sequence for Cas9 binding. Cas9 nuclease is often used to “knockout” target genes such as for example, the APOE e4 allele. Also, multiple gRNAs can be employed to suppress or activate multiple genes simultaneously, hence increasing the treatment efficacy and reducing resistance potentially caused by new mutations in the target genes.
As used herein, “CRISPR-based endonucleases” include RNA-guided endonucleases that comprise at least one nuclease domain and at least one domain that interacts with a guide RNA. As known to the art, a guide RNA directs the CRISPR-based endonucleases to a targeted site in a nucleic acid at which site the CRISPR-based endonucleases cleaves at least one strand of the targeted nucleic acid sequence. As the guide RNA provides the specificity for the targeted cleavage, the CRISPR-based endonuclease is universal and can be used with different guide RNAs to cleave different target nucleic acid sequences. CRISPR-based endonucleases are RNA-guided endonucleases derived from CRISPR/Cas systems.
In an aspect, a disclosed CRISPR-based endonuclease can be derived from a CRISPR/Cas type I, type II, or type III system. Non-limiting examples of suitable CRISPR/Cas proteins include Cas3, Cas4, Cas5, Cas5e (or CasD), Cas6, Cas6e, Cas6f, Cas7, Cas8a1, Cas8a2, Cas8b, Cas8c, Cas9, Cas10, Cas10d, CasF, CasG, CasH, Csy1, Csy2, Csy3, Cse1 (or CasA), Cse2 (or CasB), Cse3 (or CasE), Cse4 (or CasC), Csc1, Csc2, Csa5, Csn2, Csm2, Csm3, Csm4, Csm5, Csm6, Cmr1, Cmr3, Cmr4, Cmr5, Cmr6, Csb1, Csb2, Csb3, Csx17, Csx14, Csx10, Csx16, CsaX, Csx3, Csz1, Csx15, Csf1, Csf2, Csf3, Csf4, and Cu1966.
In an aspect, a disclosed CRISPR-based endonuclease can be derived from a type II CRISPR/Cas system. For example, in an aspect, a CRISPR-based endonuclease can be derived from a Cas9 protein. The Cas9 protein can be from Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus thermophilus, Streptococcus sp, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei, Streptomyces pristinaespiralis, Streptomyces viridochromogenes, Streptomyces viridochromogenes, Streptosporangium roseum, Streptosporangium roseum, Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius, Bacillus pseudomycoides, Bacillus selenitireducens, Exiguobacterium sibiricum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus salivarius, Microscilla marina, Burkholderiales bacterium, Polaromonas naphthalenivorans, Polaromonas sp., Crocosphaera watsonii, Cyanothece sp., Microcystis aeruginosa, Synechococcus sp., Acetohalobium arabaticum, Ammonifex degensii, Caldicelulosiruptor becscii, Candidatus Desulforudis, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium difficile, Finegoldia magna, Natranaerobius thermophilus, Pelotomaculum thermopropionicum, Acidithiobacillus caldus, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Allochromatium vinosum, Marinobacter sp., Nitrosococcus halophilus, Nitrosococcus watsoni, Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis, Ktedonobacter racemifer, Methanohalobium evestigatum, Anabaena variabilis, Nodularia spumigena, Nostoc sp., Arthrospira maxima, Arthrospira platensis, Arthrospira sp., Lyngbya sp., Microcoleus chthonoplastes, Oscillatoria sp., Petrotoga mobilis, Thermosipho africanus, or Acaryochloris marina. In an aspect, the CRISPR-based nuclease can be derived from a Cas9 protein from Streptococcus pyogenes. In an aspect, the CRISPR-based nuclease can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65.
As used herein, “CRISPRa” refers to CRISPR Activation, which is using a dCas9 or dCas9-activator with a gRNA to increase transcription of a target gene.
As used herein, “CRISPRi” refers to CRISPR Interference, which is using a dCas9 or dCas9-repressor with a gRNA to repress/decrease transcription of a target gene.
As used herein, “dCas9” refers to enzymatically inactive form of Cas9, which can bind, but cannot cleave, DNA.
As used herein, “Protospacer Adjacent Motif” or “PAM” refers to a sequence adjacent to the target sequence that is necessary for Cas enzymes to bind target DNA.
Disclosed are the components to be used to prepare the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof as well the disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed vectors, or any combination thereof used within the methods disclosed herein. These and other materials are disclosed herein, and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these materials are disclosed that while specific reference of each various individual and collective combinations and permutation of these compounds cannot be explicitly disclosed, each is specifically contemplated and described herein. For example, if a particular compound is disclosed and discussed and a number of modifications that can be made to a number of molecules including the compounds are discussed, specifically contemplated is each and every combination and permutation of the compound and the modifications that are possible unless specifically indicated to the contrary. Thus, if a class of molecules A, B, and C are disclosed as well as a class of molecules D, E, and F and an example of a combination molecule, A-D is disclosed, then even if each is not individually recited each is individually and collectively contemplated meaning combinations, A-E, A-F, B-D, B-E, B-F, C-D, C-E, and C-F are considered disclosed. Likewise, any subset or combination of these is also disclosed. Thus, for example, the sub-group of A-E, B-F, and C-E would be considered disclosed. This concept applies to all aspects of this application including, but not limited to, steps in methods of making and using the compositions of the invention. Thus, if there are a variety of additional steps that can be performed it is understood that each of these additional steps can be performed with any specific aspects or combination of aspects of the disclosed methods.
Disclosed herein is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
In an aspect, dCas9 can have the following sequence:
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth:
In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth:
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Kroppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed MeCP2 TRD can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth:
In an aspect, a disclosed MeCP2 TRD can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth:
In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 repressor can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth:
In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 repressor can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth:
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be fused to a disclosed polypeptide having an enzymatic activity. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and a disclosed polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO: 19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth:
In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth:
In an aspect, a disclosed SpCas9-dVRER-DNMT3A can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
In an aspect, a disclosed VRER-DNMT3A can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
Disclosed herein is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can encode a disclosed Cas endonuclease and a disclosed polypeptide.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dVRER and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
Disclosed herein is a non-viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule.
Disclosed herein is a non-viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a non-viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
In an aspect, a disclosed non-viral vector can be a polymer based vector, a peptide based vector, a lipid nanoparticle, a solid lipid nanoparticle, or a cationic lipid based vector.
In an aspect, a disclosed non-viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be fused to a disclosed polypeptide having an enzymatic activity. In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can encode a disclosed Cas endonuclease and a disclosed polypeptide. In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dVRER and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect, a disclosed non-viral vector can comprise one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed non-viral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
Disclosed herein is a viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule.
Disclosed herein is a viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be fused to a disclosed polypeptide having an enzymatic activity. In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can encode a disclosed Cas endonuclease and a disclosed polypeptide. In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dVRER and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can be an adenovirus vector, an AAV vector, a herpes simplex virus vector, a retrovirus vector, a lentivirus vector, and alphavirus vector, a flavivirus vector, a rhabdovirus vector, a measles virus vector, a Newcastle disease viral vector, a poxvirus vector, or a picornavirus vector. In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can be a lentiviral vector.
Disclosed herein is a viral vector comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In a aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can encode a disclosed Cas endonuclease and a disclosed polypeptide. In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dVRER and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can be a lentiviral vector.
Disclosed herein is a lentiviral vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA.
In an aspect, a disclosed lentiviral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can encode a disclosed Cas endonuclease and a disclosed polypeptide. In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and Kroppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dVRER and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect, a disclosed lentiviral vector can comprise one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed lentiviral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
Disclosed herein is a lentiviral vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
In an aspect, a disclosed lentiviral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can encode a disclosed Cas endonuclease and a disclosed polypeptide. In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dVRER and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect, a disclosed lentiviral vector can comprise one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed lentiviral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising a disclosed vector and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Disclosed herein is pharmaceutical formulation comprising a disclosed lentiviral vector and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
In an aspect, a disclosed formulation can comprise (i) one or more active agents, (ii) biologically active agents, (iii) one or more pharmaceutically active agents, (iv) one or more immune-based therapeutic agents, (v) one or more clinically approved agents, or (vi) a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed composition can comprise one or more proteasome inhibitors. In an aspect, a disclosed composition can comprise one or more immunosuppressives or immunosuppressive agents. In an aspect, an immunosuppressive agent can be anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), cyclosporine (CSP), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed formulation can comprise a RNA therapeutic. A RNA therapeutic can comprise RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) and/or antisense oligonucleotides (ASO). In an aspect, a disclosed formulation can comprise a disclosed small molecule.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising a lentiviral vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising a lentiviral vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA.
Disclosed herein is a host cell comprising plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:21-24, SEQ ID NO:29-36, SEQ ID NO:43-50, SEQ ID NO:53-56, SEQ ID NO:59-61.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector or a disclosed lentiviral vector in a disclosed host cell can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can encode a disclosed Cas endonuclease and a disclosed polypeptide. In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dCas9 and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed fusion protein can comprise dVRER and Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector or a disclosed lentiviral vector in a disclosed host cell can comprise one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector or a disclosed lentiviral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
7. Guide RNAs (gRNAs)
Disclosed herein is a guide RNA comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO: 14. Disclosed herein is a guide RNA comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28. Disclosed herein is a guide RNA comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42. Disclosed herein is a guide RNA comprising the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52. Disclosed gRNAs are listed below.
As known to the art, a gRNA provides the targeting of a CRISPR/Cas9-based epigenome modifying system. A guide RNA is a specific RNA sequence that recognizes the target DNA region of interest (such as, for example, APOE e4 allele) and directs the Cas endonuclease there for editing. The gRNA is made up of two parts: crispr RNA (crRNA), a 17-20 nucleotide sequence complementary to the target DNA, and a tracer RNA, which serves as a binding scaffold for the Cas nuclease. The CRISPR-associated (Cas) protein is a non-specific endonuclease, which can be directed to the specific DNA locus by a gRNA (where it makes a double-strand break).
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can serve to direct a disclosed endonucleases or a disclosed fusion product having an endonuclease to a target area of interest (such as, for example, the promoter of the APOE gene or the APOE e4 allele).
Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:21-SEQ ID NO:24. Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:29-SEQ ID NO:36. Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:43-SEQ ID NO:50. Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:53-SEQ ID NO:56. Disclosed herein is a plasmid comprising the sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:59-SEQ ID NO:61. Plasmids disclosed herein include but are not limited to those listed below.
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK546 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK539 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK500 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK744 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1026 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1027 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1028 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1029 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1030 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1031 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1032 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1033 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1105 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1106 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1107 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1108 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1109 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1110 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1111 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1112 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1426 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1427 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1428 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1428 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1531 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1532 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
In an aspect, a disclosed pBK1536 plasmid can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule, and reducing the activity and/or expression of APOE in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecule, and reducing the activity and/or expression of APOE e4 in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA, wherein the fusion protein comprises a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and reducing the activity and/or expression of APOE in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing the activity and/or expression of APOE in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA, wherein the fusion protein comprises a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and reducing the activity and/or expression of the APOE e4 allele in one or more cells.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising contacting one or more cells with a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing the activity and/or expression of the APOE e4 allele in one or more cells.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, increased APOE expression and/or activity can be mediated by a coding mutation in exon 4, gene dysregulation, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can reduce expression and/or activity of APOE regardless of the subject's genotype.
In an aspect, the disclosed cells can be neurons such as, for example, cholinergic neurons. In an aspect, the disclosed cells can be in a subject.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can be a lentiviral vector. In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule and one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be fused to a disclosed polypeptide having an enzymatic activity. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a subject can be a human. In an aspect, a subject can be suspected of having or can be diagnosed with having Alzheimer's disease (such as, for example, LOAD). In an aspect, a disclosed subject can be symptomatic or asymptomatic.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease. In an aspect, reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease can comprise reducing the A042/40 ratio and reducing the level of Tau. In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise diagnosing the subject with Alzheimer's disease.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise repeating one or more steps of the method and/or modifying one or more steps of the method.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, administering a disclosed viral vector can comprise intravenous administration, intracerebral administration, intra-CSF administration, intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration, intraventricular administration, intra-cistema magna (ICM) administration, intraparenchymal administration, intrathecal (lumbar, cistemal, or both) administration, or any combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent, an effective amount of an immune modulator, or a combination thereof.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein and (ii) at least one guide RNA, wherein the fusion protein comprises a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a method of administering precision gene therapy, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
In an aspect, the disclosed cells can be neurons such as, for example, cholinergic neurons. In an aspect, the disclosed cells can be in a subject.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can be a lentiviral vector. In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule and one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be fused to a disclosed polypeptide having an enzymatic activity. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 19 or SEQ ID NO:20 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and a disclosed polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a subject can be a human. In an aspect, a subject can be suspected of having or can be diagnosed with having Alzheimer's disease (such as, for example, LOAD). In an aspect, a disclosed subject can be symptomatic or asymptomatic.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease. In an aspect, reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease can comprise reducing the A042/40 ratio and reducing the level of Tau. In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise diagnosing the subject with Alzheimer's disease.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise repeating one or more steps of the method and/or modifying one or more steps of the method.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, administering a disclosed vector can comprise intravenous administration, intracerebral administration, intra-CSF administration, intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration, intraventricular administration, intra-cistema magna (ICM) administration, intraparenchymal administration, intrathecal (lumbar, cistemal, or both) administration, or any combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent, an effective amount of an immune modulator, or a combination thereof.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE, thereby reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE, thereby reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of APOE.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele, thereby reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele, thereby reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Disclosed herein is a method of treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease progression in a subject, the method comprising reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, and reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, increased APOE expression and/or activity can be mediated by a coding mutation in exon 4, gene dysregulation, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can reduce expression and/or activity of APOE regardless of the subject's genotype.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can be a lentiviral vector. In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule and one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be fused to a disclosed polypeptide having an enzymatic activity. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a subject can be a human. In an aspect, a subject can be suspected of having or can be diagnosed with having Alzheimer's disease (such as, for example, LOAD). In an aspect, a disclosed subject can be symptomatic or asymptomatic. In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease. In an aspect, reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease can comprise reducing the A042/40 ratio and reducing the level of Tau. In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise diagnosing the subject with Alzheimer's disease.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise repeating one or more steps of the method and/or modifying one or more steps of the method.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, administering a disclosed vector can comprise intravenous administration, intracerebral administration, intra-CSF administration, intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration, intraventricular administration, intra-cistema magna (ICM) administration, intraparenchymal administration, intrathecal (lumbar, cistemal, or both) administration, or any combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent, an effective amount of an immune modulator, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise administering one or more additional therapeutic agents. Additional therapeutic agents can comprise any disclosed therapeutic agents. A therapeutic agent can be any that effects a desired clinical outcome in a subject having a Alzheimer's disease, suspected of having Alzheimer's disease, and/or likely to develop or acquire Alzheimer's disease. In an aspect, a disclosed therapeutic agent can be an oligonucleotide therapeutic agent. A disclosed oligonucleotide therapeutic agent can comprise a single-stranded or double-stranded DNA, iRNA, shRNA, siRNA, mRNA, non-coding RNA (ncRNA), an antisense molecule, miRNA, a morpholino, a peptide-nucleic acid (PNA), or an analog or conjugate thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed oligonucleotide therapeutic agent can be an ASO or an RNAi. In an aspect, a disclosed oligonucleotide therapeutic agent can comprise one or more modifications at any position applicable. In an aspect, a disclosed therapeutic agent can comprise an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein that is deficient or absent in the subject. In an aspect, a disclosed therapeutic agent can be a biologically active agent, a pharmaceutically active agent, an anti-bacterial agent, an anti-fungal agent, a corticosteroid, an analgesic, an immunostimulant, an immune-based product, or any combination thereof.
Disclosed herein is a method of reducing expression of APOE, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, thereby reducing expression of APOE.
Disclosed herein is a method of reducing expression of APOE, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, thereby reducing expression of APOE.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, increased APOE expression and/or activity can be mediated by a coding mutation in exon 4, gene dysregulation, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can be a lentiviral vector. In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule and one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be fused to a disclosed polypeptide having an enzymatic activity. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a subject can be a human. In an aspect, a subject can be suspected of having or can be diagnosed with having Alzheimer's disease (such as, for example, LOAD). In an aspect, a disclosed subject can be symptomatic or asymptomatic. In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease. In an aspect, reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease can comprise reducing the A042/40 ratio and reducing the level of Tau. In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise diagnosing the subject with Alzheimer's disease.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise repeating one or more steps of the method and/or modifying one or more steps of the method.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, administering a disclosed vector can comprise intravenous administration, intracerebral administration, intra-CSF administration, intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration, intraventricular administration, intra-cistema magna (ICM) administration, intraparenchymal administration, intrathecal (lumbar, cisternal, or both) administration, or any combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent, an effective amount of an immune modulator, or a combination thereof.
Disclosed herein is a method of reducing expression of APOE e4, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas endonuclease and a polypeptide having an enzymatic activity and (ii) at least one guide RNA, thereby reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
Disclosed herein is a method of reducing expression of APOE e4, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a viral vector, wherein the viral vector comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding (i) a Cas endonuclease, (ii) at least one polypeptide having an enzymatic activity, and (iii) at least one guide RNA, thereby reducing expression of the APOE e4 allele.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, increased APOE expression and/or activity can be mediated by a coding mutation in exon 4, gene dysregulation, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can be a lentiviral vector. In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can drive the expression of a gRNA, the Cas9 endonuclease, a polypeptide, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be a hU6 promoter and a disclosed hU6 promoter can drive expression of a gRNA. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can be an EFS-NC promoter and a disclosed EFS-NC promoter can drive expression of the Cas endonuclease. In an aspect, a disclosed promoter can comprise a hU6 promoter, an EFS-NC promoter, or a combination thereof.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a disclosed viral vector can comprise one or more promoters operably linked to the isolated nucleic acid molecule and one or more regulatory elements. Regulatory elements are known in the art and can comprise one or more of the following: a Sp1 responsive element, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR. In an aspect, a disclosed viral vector can comprise two Sp1 response elements, a p2A signal, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, a Phi signal-packaging signal, a rev responsive element, a 5′-LTR, and a 3′-LTR.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can comprise Cas9, SpCas9, SaCas9, a variant Cas9, a dCas, or a dCas9. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 or SEQ ID NO:65 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed variant Cas9 can comprise VQR, EQR, or VRER. In an aspect a disclosed VRER can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15. In an aspect, a disclosed VRER can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise dVQR, dEQR, or dVRER. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas can comprise the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In an aspect, a disclosed dCas9 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 or a fragment thereof. A SpCas9 (3′NGG-PAM sequence) can comprise SpCas9 VQR (3′NGAN or 3′NGNG), SpCas9 EQR (3′NGAG), or SpCas9 VRER (3′NGCG).
In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription activation activity, transcription repression activity, transcription release factor activity, histone modification activity, nucleic acid association activity, methyltransferase activity, demethylase activity, acetyltransferase activity, deacetylase activity, or any combination thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can be histone deacetylase or heterochromatin protein 1. In an aspect, a disclosed encoded polypeptide can comprise transcription repression activity. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. In an aspect, a disclosed DNMT3A can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:18 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, at least one encoded polypeptide can comprise Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58. In an aspect, a disclosed TRD of MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 or SEQ ID NO:58 or a fragment thereof. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can comprise the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. In an aspect, a disclosed KRAB-MeCP2 can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 or SEQ ID NO:63 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can be designed to target exon 4 of the APOE gene or designed to target a protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) created by a SNP rs429358 in exon 4 of the APOE gene. In an aspect, a disclosed gRNA can have the sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:05-SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:25-SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:39-SEQ ID NO:42, and SEQ ID NO:51-SEQ ID NO:52.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be fused to a disclosed polypeptide having an enzymatic activity. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:19. In an aspect, a dCas9-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20. In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be DNMT3A. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have the amino acid sequence set forth SEQ ID NO:38. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can be encoded by the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:37. In an aspect, a disclosed dVRER-DNMT3A fusion protein can have a sequence having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:37 or a fragment thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dCas9 and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2). In an aspect, a disclosed Cas endonuclease can be dVRER and the polypeptide can be Krüppel-associated box (KRAB), the transcription repression domain (TRD) of Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2), or a fusion of KRAB-MeCP2 (KRAB-MeCP2).
In an aspect of a disclosed method, a subject can be a human. In an aspect, a subject can be suspected of having or can be diagnosed with having Alzheimer's disease (such as, for example, LOAD). In an aspect, a disclosed subject can be symptomatic or asymptomatic. In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease. In an aspect, reducing the pathological phenotype associated with Alzheimer's disease can comprise reducing the A042/40 ratio and reducing the level of Tau. In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise diagnosing the subject with Alzheimer's disease.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise repeating one or more steps of the method and/or modifying one or more steps of the method.
In an aspect of a disclosed method, administering a disclosed vector can comprise intravenous administration, intracerebral administration, intra-CSF administration, intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration, intraventricular administration, intra-cistema magna (ICM) administration, intraparenchymal administration, intrathecal (lumbar, cistemal, or both) administration, or any combination thereof.
In an aspect, a disclosed method can comprise administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent, an effective amount of an immune modulator, or a combination thereof.
Disclosed herein is a kit comprising one or more disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules, disclosed vectors, disclosed lentiviral vectors, disclosed pharmaceutical formulations, disclosed host cells, disclosed guide RNAs, disclosed plasmids, or any combination thereof with or without additional therapeutic agents to treat, prevent, inhibit, and/or ameliorate one or more symptoms or complications associated AD or LOAD. In an aspect, a disclosed kit can be used in a disclosed method to reduce expression and/or activity of APOE regardless of the subject's genotype.
In an aspect, a disclosed kit can comprise at least two components constituting the kit. Together, the components constitute a functional unit for a given purpose (such as, for example, treating a subject diagnosed with or suspected of having A or LOAD). Individual member components may be physically packaged together or separately. For example, a kit comprising an instruction for using the kit may or may not physically include the instruction with other individual member components. Instead, the instruction can be supplied as a separate member component, either in a paper form or an electronic form which may be supplied on computer readable memory device or downloaded from an internet website, or as recorded presentation. In an aspect, a kit for use in a disclosed method can comprise one or more containers holding a disclosed pharmaceutical formulation, a disclosed therapeutic agent, a disclosed reagent, or a combination thereof, and a label or package insert with instructions for use. In an aspect, suitable containers include, for example, bottles, vials, syringes, blister pack, etc. The containers can be formed from a variety of materials such as glass or plastic. The container can hold, for example, a disclosed pharmaceutical formulation and/or a disclosed therapeutic agent and can have a sterile access port (for example the container may be an intravenous solution bag or a vial having a stopper pierceable by a hypodermic injection needle). The label or package insert can indicate that a disclosed pharmaceutical formulation and/or a disclosed therapeutic agent can be used for treating, preventing, inhibiting, and/or ameliorating Alzheimer's disease (such as, for example, LOAD) or complications and/or symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease. In an aspect, a disclosed kit can comprise additional components necessary for administration such as, for example, other buffers, diluents, filters, needles, and syringes.
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is encoded by the APOE gene (SEQ ID NO:01) positioned on chromosome 19q13.32 (GRCh 38: chr19:44,905,795-44,909,392). Two common coding SNPs in exon 4 of the gene give rise to three allelic variants, APOEe2 (SEQ ID NO:02), APOEe3 (SEQ ID NO:03), and APOEe4 (SEQ ID NO:04), encoding three corresponding protein isoforms that differ at two amino acid positions 112 and 158. The e4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE e4) is the first, strongest, and most firmly established genetic risk factor for LOAD (Corder E H, et al. (1993) Science 261:921-923; Liu N, et al. (2008) Adv Genet. 60:335-405; Schmechel D E, et al. (1993) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 90:9649-9653; Saunders A M, et al. (1993) Neurology. 43:1467-1472). The initial discovery was made nearly 30 years ago by linkage analysis of pedigrees (Corder et al., 1993) and over the ensuing years it has become the most highly replicated genetic risk factor for LOAD (Corder et al., 1993; Liu et al. 2008; Schmechel et al., 1993; Saunders et al., 1993). Subsequent LOAD genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have confirmed strong associations with the APOE genomic region, and no other LOAD-association remotely approached the same level of significance (Harold D, et al. (2009) Nat Genet. 41:1088-1093; Lambert J C, et al. (2009) Nat Genet. 41:1094-1090; Heinzen E L, et al. (2009) J Alzheimers Dis. 19(1):69-77; Kamboh M I, et al. (2012) Mol Psychiatry. 17:1340-1346; Kamboh M I, et al. (2012) Transl Psychiatry. 2:e117; Seshadri, S. et al. (2010) JAMA. 303:1832-1840; Kunkle B W, et al. (2019) Nat Genet. 51:414-430; Lambert J C, et al. (2013) Nat Genet. 45:1452-1458; Coon K D, et al. (2007) J Clin Psychiatry. 68:613-618).
Carrying the APOE e4 variant significantly increases the lifetime risk for LOAD, whereas the number of e4 copies affects the level of risk and is associated with lower age of clinical disease onset (Corder et al., 1993; Farrer L A, et al. (1997) JAMA. 278:1349-1356), while APOE e3 is natural and APOE e2 conferred a protective effect (Saunders A M, et al. (1993) Neurology. 43:1467-1472; Reiman E M, et al. (2020) Nat Commun. 11:667). 40-65% of LOAD patients carry the e4 allele compared to 10-15% in the general population. Although, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying ApoE e4-mediated risk effects have not been fully elucidated, it was suggested that ApoE e4 acquired hyperfunction (gain of toxic effects) (Gottschalk W K, et al. (2016) J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism. 6(1):209) and increasing data indicate several cellular pathways through which ApoE e4 may exert toxicity associated with LOAD pathologic phenotypes (Huang Y A, et al. (2017) Cell. 168:427-441 e21; Sen A, et al. (2015) J Neurosci. 35:7538-7551; Theendakara V, et al. (2013) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 110:18303-18308; Theendakara V, et al. (2016) J Neurosci. 36:685-700; Min S W, et al. (2010) Neuron. 67:953-966; Tambini M D, et al. (2016) EMBO Rep. 17:27-36; Hatters D M, et al. (2006) J Mol Biol. 361:932-944). Collectively, these studies provide strong support to the concept that decreasing the levels of ApoE e4 specifically will have a therapeutic implication.
However, ApoE e4 as a target for LOAD remains significantly understudied, despite the few recent studies that have begun to pave the way. Another study utilized an antibody that specifically recognized the ApoE4 isoform and showed inhibition of A3 accumulation in the hippocampus and reversed the cognitive impairments compared to the control APOE4 mice (Luz I, et al. (2016) Curr Alzheimer Res. 13:918-929). Additional study applied the anti-human ApoE4 antibody and also found a reduction in A3 pathology characteristic of the APPS1-21/humanAPOE4 mice (Liao F, et al. (2018) J Clin Invest. 128:2144-2155). Collectively, these observations (Yang A, et al. (2021) Int J Mol Sci. 22(3):1244) demonstrated the beneficial effects of reducing the expression levels of ApoE, thus, supporting APOE as a promising therapeutics target for LOAD.
Moreover, accumulating evidence indicates that the increased overall expression of APOE plays an important role in the etiology of LOAD. Significant higher levels of APOE-mRNA in brain tissues obtained from e3/3 LOAD patients compared to 3/3 healthy donors, consistently with other reports showing elevated levels of APOE-mRNA in LOAD brains (Linnertz C, et al. (2014) Alzheimers Dement. 10:541-551; Zarow C, et al. (1998) Exp. Neurol. 149:79-86; Matsui T, et al. (2007) Brain Res. 1161:116-123; Akram A, et al. (2012) Neurobiol. Aging. 33:628e1). Further, studies using the APP/PS1 transgenic mice showed that lowering the ApoE protein levels ameliorated cognitive dysfunctions and AR pathology (Huynh T V, et al. (2017) Neuron. 96:1013-1023.e1014: Zheng J Y, et al. (2017) Neurobiol. Aging 2017, 54:112-132) independent of the APOE allele (Bien-Ly N, et al. (2012) J. Neurosci. 32:4803-4811; Kim J, et al. (2011) J. Neurosci. 31:18007-18012). While ApoE4 has received much attention for its LOAD-risk effect, there are clear changes in APOE expression associated with LOAD and independent of the e4 allele.
This means that the regulation of APOE expression can impact the risk to develop LOAD, making the modulation of the overall ApoE protein levels useful as a therapeutic target. To this end, reduction in APOE expression had beneficial effects, specifically a decrease in AR pathology. Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) treatment lowered the APOE-mRNA and protein levels in the brains of APP/PS1-21 mouse model by at least 50%, leading to a significant decrease in AR pathology (Huynh T V, et al. (2017) Neuron 96:1013-1023 e4). Administration of anti-ApoE antibody have consistent effects on reducing A3 pathology and improved brain function and cognitive abilities (Kim J, et al. (2012) Annu Rev Neurosci. 31:75-93; Liao F, et al. (2014) J Neurosci. 34:7281-7292)).
Thus, as described below, methods of modifying the e4 isoform and reducing APOE expression and/or activity levels provide a promising avenue towards precision medicine in AD and especially LOAD.
Determining the Effect of APOE Genotypes of APOE-mRNA Levels
Real-time PCR was then used to quantify the levels of human TOMM40 mRNA and APOE mRNA. Duplicates of each sample were assayed by relative quantitative real-time PCR using the ABI 7900HT to determine the level of TOMM40 and APOE messages relative to the mRNAs for the housekeeping genes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and cyclophilin A (PPIA). ABI MGB probe and primer set assays were used to amplify APOE cDNA (ID Hs00171168_ml, 108 bp); and the two RNA reference controls, GAPDH (ID Hs99999905_ml, 122 bp) and PPIA (ID Hs99999904_ml, 98 bp) (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). Each cDNA (10 ng) was amplified in duplicate in at least two independent runs (overall >4 repeats), using TaqMan Universal PCR master mix reagent (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) and the following conditions: 2 min at 50° C., 10 min at 95° C., 40 cycles; 15 sec at 95° C.; 1 min at 60° C. As a negative control for the specificity of the amplification, RNA control samples that were not converted to cDNA (no-RT) and no-cDNA/RNA samples (no-template) were used in each plate. No amplification product was detected in control reactions. Data were analyzed with a threshold set in the linear range of amplification. The cycle number at which any particular sample crossed that threshold (Ct) was then used to determine fold difference, whereas the geometric mean of the two control genes served as a reference for normalization. Fold difference was calculated as 2−DDCt; where DCt=[Ct(target)−Ct (reference)] and DDCt=[DCt(sample)]−[DCt(calibrator)].
The calibrator was a particular brain RNA sample used in every plate for normalization within and across runs. The variation of the DCt values among the calibrator replicates was less than 10%. For assay validation, standard curves for TOMAM40, APOE and each reference assay, GAPDH and PPIA using different amounts of human brain total RNA (0.1 ng-100 ng) were generated. In addition, the slope of the relative efficiency plot for TOMM40 and APOE with each internal control (GAPDH and PPIA) was determined to validate the assays. The slope in the relative efficiency plot for APOE and the reference genes were <0.1, showing a standard value required for the validation of the relative quantitative method. This methodology was published in Linnertz C, et al. (2014) Alzheimer's Dement. 10:541-551.
The manufacturer's instructions were followed for the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip Kit, which determined the profile of over 850,000 methylation sites quantitatively across the genome. Initial processing and quality control assessment of the methyl-array data were carried out using the minfi72 package from the R statistical programming environment (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, 2018). Normalization of the data was carried out separately within each of the three datasets using the ‘preprocessSWAN’ function to remove systematic differences across arrays. (Maksimovic J, et al. (2012) Genome Biol. 13:R44). Probes that have a detection p-value >0.05 in any sample were removed from subsequent analysis. A standard linear model was deployed for each analysis to identify differentially methylated probes. Probes were annotated with their genomic coordinates in the hg19 version of the human genome and the nearest gene to the probe was listed using the gene models provided by Ensembl (version 74).
In
hiPSCs lines were differentiated into cholinergic neurons (the primary LOAD-affected neurons) as described by Tagliafierro L, et al. (2018) Hum Mol Genet. 28(3):407-421 and Tagliafierro L, et al. (2017) Alzheimer's Dement. 13(11):1237-1250.
Furthermore, isogenic cell lines having APOE 3/3, APOE 3/4, and APOE 4/4 genotypes were cultured. Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, isogenic lines were created such that the only difference is the SNP that defines the e4 allele.
Loss of the integrity of the nuclear envelope has been associated with aging (Miller, et al., Cell Stem Cell 13, 691-705 (2013); Liu et al., Nature 491, 603-607 (2012)). To evaluate the nuclear architecture of the hiPSC-derived cells, nuclear envelope markers in isogenic APOE 3/3 and APOE 4/4 hiPSC-derived neurons were analyzed according to the methods described in Tagliafierro, et al., Hum Mol Genet (2018). In particular, the nuclear envelope integrity was assessed by using two specific nuclear envelope markers. First, Lamin A C (Miller, et al., Cell Stem Cell 13, 691-705 (2013); Tagliafierro, et al., Hum Mol Genet (2018)), wherein folded nuclei were counted as abnormal. Second, Lamin B1 (Liu et al., Nature 491, 603-607 (2012); Tagliafierro, et al., Hum Mol Genet (2018)), wherein nuclear circularity was quantified using the built-in ImageJ circularity plugin and assessed based on the Lamin B1 marker. 400 cells per staining were analyzed for two independent experiments.
As shown in
For the nuclear dextran size exclusion assay (described by Eftekharzadeh B, et al. (2019) Neuron. 101(2):349; D'Angelo M A, et al. (2009) Cell. 136:284-295), low-molecular-weight (<25 kDa) dextran was expected to freely traverse nuclear pore complexes and fill the nucleus, whereas higher molecular weight (e.g., 70-kDa and 500-kDa) dextrans were expected to be excluded from the nucleoplasm when the nuclear pore complexes are intact. Nuclei were isolated with a sucrose gradient and incubated with fluorescent dextrans of different molecular weight. Intranuclear 155-kDa dextran indicated leakiness of the nuclear membrane.
Pyrosequencing was performed using bisulfite converted DNA to quantitatively determine the methylation levels according to the protocol set forth in Bassil C F, et al. (2013) Methods Mol Biol. 1049:95-107, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for its teaching of a bisulfite pyrosequencing protocol. The assay was designed across APOE exon 4 covered CpG 11-38 (chr19: 45411858-45412063; hg19) as described by Tulloch J, et al. (2018) Brain Res. 1698:179-186, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for its teaching of the CpG assay design.
To generate the data presented in
hiPSC-derived cholinergic neurons homozygote to the APOE e4 allele were stably transduced with lentiviral vector carrying gRNA3 paired with dCas9-DNMT3A or dCAS9-DNMT3A null vectors.
Similarly, hiPSC-derived cholinergic neurons homozygote to the APOE e4 allele were stably transduced with lentiviral vector carrying gRNAs 1-4 paired with dCas9-DNMT3A or with a dCAS9-DNMT3A vector with no-gRNA.
Then, hiPSC-derived cholinergic neurons homozygote to the APOE e3 allele were stably transduced with lentiviral vector carrying gRNAs 1-4 paired with dCas9-DNMT3A or a dCAS9-DNMT3A vector with no-gRNA.
hiPSC-derived cholinergic neurons homozygote to the APOE e4 allele were stably transduced with a lentiviral vector carrying a gRNA that was 2′ paired with dVRER-DNMT3A or with a dVRER-DNMT3A lentiviral vector with no gRNA.
A strategy to silence APOEe4 allele using DNMT3A-DNMT3L enzymes and KRAB repressor as the effector molecules was developed.
The Examples provided herein show that epigenome-based therapy paired with lentiviral vector is an advantageous strategy for the treatment of LOAD because it has versatility, low immunogenicity, and remarkable suitability for viral-mediated gene transfers. Pre-existing approaches including antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) and immunotherapy are plagued by significant disadvantages such as low efficiency and specificity, low stability and solubility, adverse immunoreactivity, and inability to penetrate blood-brain barrier (BBB). Epigenome editing also holds key advantages over direct gene knockout because epigenome editing triggers the natural cellular system that leads to gene silencing by a defined mechanism (Rittiner J E, et al. (2020) Front Mol Neurosci. 13:148). By contrast, knocking out a gene by conventional genome editing depends on targeted DNA double-strand breakage followed by repair, which can occur via variable repair pathways that are not fully predictable.
The APOE-targeted epigenome therapy described herein combines emerging innovative genomic technologies and delivery techniques to overcome these limitations. As demonstrated by the data presented in the Examples, the allelic discrimination approach is innovative as it allows a precise and fine-tuned downregulation of APOEe4 allele expression. The utility of dCas9-variant, VRER (Kleinstiver B P, et al. (2015) Nature. 523:481-485) in gene therapy is innovative and the combination of the epigenomic modification approach and the strategy to target allele specific is novel. The novel vector system disclosed herein circumvents several challenges related to gene therapy. It has a high efficiency for delivery of oversized CRISPR/Cas9 components. It is suitable for a broad range of cellular tropisms. It has low cytotoxicity and immunogenicity. It generates long-term and sustainable expression of the transgene which will ensure that the epigenetic changes imprinted within APOE exon 4 are permanent. Importantly, lentiviruses are very efficient in transducing post-mitotic neurons in vivo.
In an aspect, a disclosed ApoE gene can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
In an aspect, a disclosed APOEe2 variant can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
In an aspect, a disclosed APOEe3 variant can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth below:
In an aspect, a disclosed APOEe4 variant can comprise the sequence set forth below or a sequence having 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more identity to the sequence set forth
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/104,343 filed 22 Oct. 2020 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/132,286 filed 30 Dec. 2020, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US21/54475 | 10/12/2021 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63132286 | Dec 2020 | US | |
63104343 | Oct 2020 | US |