Functional correction of established central nervous system deficits in an animal model of lysosomal storage disease with feline immunodeficiency virus-based vectors.
Gene transfer vectors based on lentiviruses can transduce terminally differentiated cells in the brain; however, their ability to reverse established behavioral deficits in animal models of neurodegeneration has not previously been tested. When recombinant feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-based vectors expressing beta-glucuronidase were unilaterally injected into the striatum of adult beta-glucuronidase deficient [mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII)] mice, an animal model of lysosomal storage disease, there was bihemispheric correction of the characteristic cellular pathology. Moreover, after the injection of FIV-based vectors expressing beta-glucuronidase into brains of beta-glucuronidase-deficient mice with established impairments in spatial learning and memory, there was dramatic recovery of behavioral function. Cognitive improvement resulting from expression of beta-glucuronidase was associated with alteration in expression of genes associated with neuronal plasticity. These data suggest that enzyme replacement to the MPS VII central nervous system goes beyond restoration of beta-glucuronidase activity in the lysosome, and imparts improvements in plasticity and spatial learning.
Brooks
Andrew I
AI
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Program in Gene Therapy, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Stein
Colleen S
CS
Hughes
Stephanie M
SM
Heth
Jason
J
McCray
Paul M
PM
Sauter
Sybille L
SL
Johnston
Julie C
JC
Cory-Slechta
Deborah A
DA
Federoff
Howard J
HJ
Davidson
Beverly L
BL
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D003071:Cognition; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000235:genetics*; D007858:Learning; D016464:Lysosomal Storage Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D008568:Memory; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008957:Models, Genetic; D016538:Mucopolysaccharidosis VII / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019076:Transgenes
D005966:Glucuronidase